Closely guarded secret
by AgentStrange
Summary: Um... it's a bit hard to explain really. One parter and its SV, please read and review. It's kind of S3 orientated but not really. Read and you'll understand!


disclaimer i don't own alias (sigh)

i'm not really gonna tell you anything about this fic cos i thing every one should be able to interpret it as they want. enjoy and please review thankyou! -dani xxx

Closely guarded secret

You were pissed off. Like seriously 100% incensed. Your first day on the job, in the CIA rotunda; you thought you'd be out on the field, fighting, firing a gun, you're a field agent after all, but nooo. Instead, they have you sorting through the filing in the storage facility under the building. You tell yourself this isn't your job, this isn't what you were trained for- Ninja cardboard fighting, torture by paper cuts and dust inhalation. No, this isn't what you signed up for. There's an old t.v here and you wonder why, only to forget the fact after looking at your watch; two hours left. You've gone through the boxes of minor injuries- 2003-2004; that was fun, you then flicked through suspected stolen office equipment 2005-6 and then through 2007-8 just for a laugh, only to alphabetize the list of failed missions for the past five months as a little treat for yourself.  
  
You're on your way out of the dank and miserable unknown warehouse when some boxes catch your eye- there are two of them. You step closer to double check the names. So, you did read them correctly. You squint under the dim lighting of this isle of the vast, damp room. The boxes supply the names of two officers on the front; you close your eyes, rubbing the back of your neck in confusion. No other agents got their own boxes you tell yourself, but these ones were different you realise: you recognized the names immediately- they're legends. You take the cardboard holders named 'Bristow, Jack D.' and 'Bristow, Sydney A.' and place them on the floor before you. As you sit you check no one can see you as the labels state 'confidential' in big, clichéd red letters. Even though you have great respect for the older agent, you can't bring yourself to open the lid; he'd given a talk once in training about the perils of the double agent life style, and even though is eyes are now colder than they ever were known to be, his voice was full of emotion, and you can't but help feel he's reading you, judging you. You push that box aside and open the younger agent's one. You feel a pang of guilt. She was a respected and phenomenal agent, and you know the rotunda screams for her presence and agents miss her terribly. You look at her picture from her profile. She was stunning: you didn't realise someone so talented and clever could be so beautiful, and so you continue reading, your interest building.  
  
You sit there for a good hour, reading in awe of the things she achieved, the evils she stopped. You shake your head and sigh sadly at the things she had to go through, her fianc's murder, her double agent status, her mother, her missing two tears, her return. Something strikes you though. On at least two thirds of the pages, a name is referred to, a code name, 'Boy Scout'. You read how Mountaineer and Boy Scout would only work together, producing one of the finest teams the agency ever had. You read how they took down an Alliance cell and marveled at the sub textual way they always seemed to be able read each other. Boy Scout was always there to protect Mountaineer, saving her from the most desperate of situations. In teamwork exercises, phrases were screamed at you as you climbed walls together such as 'maybe some day you lot could work as well together as Mountaineer and Boy Scout!' You never really understood it, until now.  
  
There was also substantial reference to some agent called 'Vaughn, Micheal C.' you discover later he was her handler, giving her counter missions for SD-6, being her connection to the agency. You laugh at how they broke into the Vatican of all places, how they rescued countless Rambaldi artifacts from the alliance. You read an anecdotal report on how she risked her life to get an antidote for him when he came into contact with some horrifying virus, and how she agreed to murder her SD-6 boss, a Mr. Arvin Sloane. You smile; you had heard rumours of Agent Vaughn and Bristow's relationship, on how they had come to fall in love, on how they had been forbidden to see each other out of their protocol-stricken meetings. But you dismiss it. You've never been the lovey-dovey smushy type.  
  
You come to her last mission before she quit. That was it. That's the end of Agent Bristow's career in the trade. You frown, not quite understanding. You thought Mountaineer died on a mission with Boy Scout, but there was no record of this. You go to grab the lid but you freeze- there's a divider. You double take at the paper behind it- 'CIA profile, Micheal C. Vaughn: codename Boy Scout'. You momentarily laugh, disbelief wracking your body. The two people that showed the same undying loyalty and devotion to Agent Sydney Bristow were the same man. You feel a desperate sadness bubble up inside of you. They were in love. You thought their adoration for one another was just a rumour, at best a poorly kept secret. You remember what you read only minutes ago; tales of how Boy Scout risked his life for Mountaineer, and how Vaughn always provided loving and tender comfort for Sydney becoming her best friend and her greatest ally. You find a grey folder. It tells you of their kiss at the fall of the Alliance cell, the dates they went on, his wife and the complications she brought for them, their capture and declarations in North Korea. Not understanding how this is relevant to their profile it hits you. You become angry again. The CIA had been keeping taps on their relationship! There are tapes of recorded telephone conversations, photos of them out together, shopping, walking, eating. You slam your fist into the floor upon seeing a cassette named 'Agent Bristow's bedroom-A. G Doren. CIA copy' you know what must be on the tape, and you cringe at the violation you feel for the couple.  
  
But there's something else. Another tape. It reads 'wedding'. You don't understand. Emotion burns through your chest when you work it out; after all they were put through, all the awful things they faced. After the betrayal and the lies, the hurt, their love still ran strong. You run to the television you saw, praying its old enough to have a VCR machine. It does. You slide it in gently and hit play. Noise and light fills the small area you are sat in, warmth and emotion radiating from the small dusty glass screen.  
  
"I-is it on?" you hear a friendly male voice laugh. The camera shakes violently as the person holding it twists it to reveal himself- you recognize the face to be Agent Eric Weiss from the suspected stolen office equipment box. You laugh and welcome the new likeness you have for the man who was 'suspected of stealing from his own government'. You smile as he talks.  
  
"Hey guys? I know if your watching this your probably sitting on a couch somewhere all over each other so stop it! Put her down Mike, and Syd you can stop drooling. Don't make me spilt you two up, I've heard you two whine enough about missing each other and I can't handle it again" he joked, pretending to break down. "Now, I know you wanted me and Marshall to book some professional blah, blah, blah, yadda, yadda, but we thought it would be much nicer to have a nice personal touch to it. I mean this wedding is really intimate and simple with friends and family, so we thought why not have your simple friends film your family in a special way- may steer clear of Jack though. I mean have you seen how close the camera is to my face- now THAT'S intimacy!" you laugh  
  
"Oh, Jesus, Marshall you're up, I need to go stand next to Mike, I think Syd's coming. Wow, Syd you look so beautiful. K, just before I go, I just want to say (before I get drunk) I love you two so, so much and I am so happy that everything has finally worked out for the better. Mike you are one lucky son of a bitch you know that?" he added looking over to where Sydney stood off camera. "Good luck, I'm so happy this day has finally come for you guys, its been a long, long time coming and may your life be full of happiness -which it inevitably will be, and great sex, which I think it already is..." he turned away but changed his mind "Oh and Mike" he said leaning in to the camera whispering softly. "You throw up on my shoes, I swear to God, I'll kill you"  
  
A new voice took over, softer and less confident  
  
"Uh, hey guys, its er Marshall, though you probably knew that cause you've...er known me for ages, well you less Micheal 'cause I knew Syd at SD-6 for like, 7 years extra, but then during her disappearance, I knew you for...um 2 years more... and oh hey there's Eric!" the camera shook gently as the man only identified as Marshall waved to a grinning and also waving Weiss. Eric then tapped on the shoulder of the man in the grey suit standing beside him who had been bobbing on his heels slightly. The blond, taller and more slender figure turned around trying to identify who his best man was pointing at only to blush, smile and turn away upon seeing the camera zoomed in, pointing at his face. You had seen your share of attractive men in your time, but he, you thought, had to be the most beautiful. His hair was fashionably messy with a hint of occasion, and his white shirt stood out clearly against the dark grey of his suit, he wore no tie, and the top few buttons of his shirt was undone slightly revealing naturally bronzed skin. His eyes were bright and full of happiness, but instead of nerves like Eric had suggested, his face showed anticipation and a great longing. They had been waiting a long time, you tell yourself. This, they deserve.   
  
"Oh, no need to be shy Micheal" Marshall laughed as he turned away. "This place is really pretty by the way you guys..." It really was. It was outdoors and the sun was shining gloriously. There were a few rows of cream chairs and there were flowers everywhere. It was humble and classic but unique and everyone was smiling and laughing, even Jack, which Marshall had made an effort to capture on film. Everyone suddenly stopped talking and moved to their seats, and Marshall followed their eye lines to capture the bridesmaids. They wore pink, trailing gowns, making them look radiant and youthful causing onlookers to whisper with joy and pride. They held cream roses and walk down the isle with handsome men and boys who wear black suits. They have pink roses in their buttonholes; its then you notice, on one side, the bride's you realise, guests wear cream roses, while the groom's side wear pink. Vaughn smiles at them, still bobbing excitedly. He is wearing a cream rose- you predict Sydney will have pink, you like the idea of them having each other's colours on instead of their own and you smile gently  
  
"Oh! There's Carrie!" Marshall whispers softly, his voice squealing in delight. Music starts playing gently and gracefully in the background, and all guests stand in union.  
  
Sydney looks so beautiful it makes you gasp. Her dress is simple but elegant, draping behind her in a pool of cream. As you predicted, she is holding a bouquet of pink roses. Jack actually grins as she steps towards him, and he glows with pride as he places his palm on her cheek. He whispers something to her that causes her to smile and blush. She kisses his cheek and you suddenly mourn the loss of this Jack Bristow. The Jack Bristow you know is cold and empty for reasons mostly unidentified. He walks Sydney down the isle and the guests smile effortlessly. Some cry with joy, but you don't really understand why. Marshall mutters something you miss because you're too distracted by the beauty of this moment, which you are intruding upon. The bride and groom never look anywhere else but each other, their eye contact remaining steady and strong. As Jack and his daughter reach the end on their path, he takes her hand and kisses it. He then turns to Micheal, whose smile, even under what you could only imagine to be a typical Jack Bristow glare never falters. To the mild surprise of everyone he compassionately and softly engulfs Micheal in his arms, telling him something causing Micheal's smile to sadden tenderly. Jack pulls away keeping a firm grip on the younger man's shoulders. Vaughn nods and smiles brightly. Jack pats him on the shoulder in a fatherly fashion and sits down next to a woman who you think to be Agent Vaughn's mother.  
  
Agents Bristow and Vaughn kiss gently and smile at each other. You read his lips and he tells her she is so beautiful. She shakes her head but he stops her with another soft kiss. The pair seem to be unaware of the gazes that have fallen upon them, and for a second you envy them; what they have, but you let it pass, deciding they've gone through so much. Their love must be indestructible. She runs her hand through his hair softly, telling him quietly she's never seen him look more handsome. They tell each other ' I love you' and Eric coughs subtly, nudging Mike who in turn glances apologetically at their audience. The couple turns to face the man with a small book infront of them. You wonder why they didn't chose Eric momentarily, as you remember reading how he had married Marshall and 'Carrie', but you realise they wanted him as the best man for a reason.  
  
The elderly gentleman smiles approvingly at the pair and opens his mouth to read but you jump violently as nine loud gunshots ring out. You can't see much because the camera has fallen onto the grass. A hand lies infront of it lifelessly, and with great anxiety you realise Marshall hasn't fled out of fear leaving the camera behind. Some scream, however most don't. From suits and dresses guns are produced, and you cannot believe the pandemonium that has unfolded before you. You see legs dashing past the camera, and then you spot them; the bride and groom. Sydney is half collapsed, half standing infront of her Vaughn, the man she refused to call by his first name. You see blood angrily dribbling from her back, and she slides down his body. His face seems pained and disbelieving like hers, but both have an element of placidity to them as tears fall down their cheeks. They are now kneeling opposite each other and you notice his blood streaked shirt. You remember her chest never came into contact with his and you understand he's been shot too. You work out the same bullet has passed between them both and your hand covers your mouth as they kiss each other for what you know to be the final time. Amongst the cries and pained screams, the fallen and violently shaking bodies, they remain calm and eerily peaceful. You cannot see Weiss, and you cannot see Jack. There is no sign of Carrie or the little boy she was walking with. Tears of joy have been replaced by blood, thick and angry.  
  
Boy Scout takes the ring discarded on the floor, placing it gently on Mountaineer's finger. He kisses her knuckles as she in turn picks up the ring destined for her lover, and mirrors his actions from seconds before. He places his palm on her cheek, allowing his hand to run up into her hair toying with it gently. Mountaineer takes Boy Scout's hand in her lap and they kiss passionately causing a small 'no' to tumble out of your lips. A final shot is heard and the couple collapse lifelessly onto each other. The screen goes grey and hisses at you and you cry silently, for you finally know the real secret of Vaughn and Bristow and the distressing demise of Mountaineer and Boy Scout.


End file.
